How texting plays a role in dating violence

The Washington Post has a pretty informative piece about how texting has become a weapon in dating violence. “Textual harassment” (not a huge fan of the name, I must say) has been on the up and up, whether it be used to double and triple check a person’s location, make insults or deliver mobile-based threats that precede actual violence:

Harassment is “just easier now, and it’s even more persistent and constant, with no letting up,” says Claire Kaplan, director of sexual and domestic violence services at the University of Virginia, which became the focus of national attention in May with the killing of 22-year-old lacrosse player Yeardley Love.

Police have charged Love’s ex-boyfriend, George Huguely V, also 22, with first-degree murder and allege that he removed her computer from the crime scene as he fled. Police were investigating whether Huguely sent Love threatening e-mails or text messages.

Kacey Kirkland, a victim services specialist with the Fairfax County Police Department, has seen textual harassment in almost every form: Threats. Rumors. Lies. Late-night questions.

“The advances in technology are assisting the perpetrators in harassing and stalking and threatening their victims,” Kirkland says.

As WaPo also notes, texting isn’t the only form of relationship control via technology, but it can also be through email, Facebook messaging or other online forums. What I find really interesting is that considering how dangerous texting can be in an abusive relationship, it can also be used as recorded evidence to actually fight dating violence, as Sandy Southworth of the Safety Net Project says, “What technology offers is irrefutable evidence of the abuse.”

There’s no doubt we need more programs like this studying texting harassment; let’s just hope it can actually help protect victims before violence ensues.